A Pesach to Remember

Several years ago I returned from a lengthy business trip and found what appeared to be a pizza box on my desk at work. When I peered into the box, instead of a pizza, I was surprised to find the biggest matzo I had ever seen. I later learned that it was a Smura matzo, baked especially for Pesach. The matzo was a get-acquainted gift from the local Chabad Rabbi named Chuni Vogel. To paraphrase Humphrey Bogart that Matzo was “… the start of a beautiful relationship.”

Over the next several years Pesach marked the beginning of what has become a very exciting and satisfying spiritual journey. Each year I would commemorate the beginning of my “journey” seated at the Vogel’s joyous Seder table, singing, laughing, eating and drinking with friends.

Last year my career took me away from Delaware, and the Vogel’s Seder table, when my employer transferred me to the Statesman Journal, a newspaper located in the beautiful community of Salem, Oregon. Shortly after we arrived at our new home it was time for Pesach. After talking it over with my wife Linda we decided to spread our wings and see if we could conduct our own family Seder. The very thought of conducting our first Seder by ourselves was both exciting and nerve-racking.

As I prepared for the first Seder night, I could almost comprehend the combination of fear and exultation a student-pilot feels as he/she prepares for their first solo flight. They practice take-offs and landings hundreds of times, they review countless reams of written material and design intricate flight plans in their sleep. But sooner or later, even the best student pilot, must hug their instructor good bye and climb into the pilot seat for their first solo flight.

It was with similar trepidation and excitement that I got ready for Pesach. My wife Linda spent countless hours on the telephone beseeching the Matriarchs of the Hyatt and Lobenstein and Cooper families to part with their closely-guarded secret Pesach recipes. She spent days cooking numerous dishes, experimenting with the ingredients until each dish was just right. While Linda was conducting her “research,” I spent evenings reading and rereading the Hagadah. I wanted our first Seder to be one we’d remember for years to come and more importantly, one that would properly honor the mitzva of Pesach.

A few days before Pesach, just as we were gaining the confidence we could actually pull it off, we received word that my Mom and Dad were going to leave the cozy confines of their Connecticut home and come and visit us for Pesach. As soon as I could catch my breath and bring my heartbeat back below 120 beats per minute, I pulled the Hagadah out and started practicing again.

My parents arrived on schedule and that night we sat down for the first frume Seder that had taken place in a Hyatt, Lobenstein or Cooper home in more than 20 years. As the evening progressed and we saw that we could actually do this Linda and I began to relax and enjoy the evening. As the story of the exodus from Egypt unfolded a warm glow settled over the participants at the table. It was as if we had entered a time machine and all of our Zadies, Bubbies, cousins, uncles and aunts were with us. Like hundreds of generations before us we recounted the story of our ancestors and their journey from bondage. We drank wine, ate matzo, hid the aphikomon, asked the four questions, ate a magnificent dinner, sang songs, laughed and enjoyed being together.

Other than turning my Mom’s ears red when I put a little too much fresh horseradish in the Hillel sandwich, I think we did just fine. After we had drunk our last cup of wine, benched and sung our last song, Linda and I felt like that aforementioned rookie pilot who landed their plane safely. We trembled with joy knowing we had faced the unknown, overcome our own personal fears and accomplished our goal.

Was it the best Seder ever conducted. Probably not. Was it the most organized Seder ever put together. I don’t think so. But the true joy of the evening was discovering that anything is possible if you only take the time to try. For the Hyatt’s it was truly an evening to remember.